Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1887-08-10
A GENDARME'S STORY.

that we were sheltered, for tempest
ragged ON the outside, sweeping and howl
ing through the mountain passes and
hurting itself with fury upon the pines OF
the Swiss Jura. Gathering about the
fire, like the rest of us, for warmth and
comfort, the herdsmen smoked and lis
tened while we talked.
Suddenly a violent knocking sounded
upon the door, and, on the call to enter,
given by the shepherd, who was master
Of the hut, q Vaudois gendarme, wet and
weary, black canishe following at his
heels, showed himself in the opening.
Placing his capote and carbine in a cor
ner with the rest of the trappings, he ex-
planned to us that he, too, had been sur
prised by the storm and for several hours
lost in the pines. AS the light of the
burning logs fell upon the new arrival
started in establishment, for never in my
life before had seen so strange counte-
nance. The nose was broken and bent
awry, the teeth entirely missing from the
front Of the mouth, and the skin and flesh
a patchwork of seams and cicatrices.
Nevertheless, in spite of its disfgure-
ments, the face was kind one, the face
of an old and brave soldier.
The conversation, checked for moment
by his coming, was renewed again, the
painful duty Of the mountain guards, the
tragic story Of contrabandists, forming
the basis Of our talk. Every one had
something to relate, and when it came to
the turn of the gendarme, cheered by fire.
quent trips to his gourd and the grateful
warmth Of the fire, he gave us the follow
ing history:
THAT which I am going to tell you, F."
said he, sis the saddest episode of my life,
for was but IS years of age, and, with
out 1attering myself, well set boy.
Detailed to the post of Cure-the extreme
station Of the canton of Vaud, near the
Fort des Rousses-in the winter of 49,,
endured some terrible sufferings, every
day of my life exposed to the danger and
hardships Of that open frontier and the
forests of Amont. All, those miserable
Smugglers, whose route / had to watch!
Many night have passed In hole in
the rocks or in the branches Of the pines
in those trackless woods where one only
meets with crows and poisonous reptiles!
"But to return to my story: One after
noon the corporal came to me and said:
'Abram, this evening the little Francois
and his two dogs of brothers will load
themselves at Des Rousses; they will be
obliged to return through the hollows OF
Crouaz. am going to post myself be-
hind them, the lieutenant under the Yer
millay, and you in the hollow itself. AS
you have longer route than we, you
must start at once and take Bijou with
you. Come, hurry up, boy; this trip re-
quires nerve
was the canishe of the post; there was
70 f6o rrrrla
and moreover, to tell the truth, he had
served to pass jewelry and clock works,
concealed under his hair, through the
lines into France.
81 had found him after a brawl,
wounded and bleeding; had cared for and
cured him; and since then he had never
left me. By 4 o'clock was on the road.
The ground was covered with snow, and
at every step sank to my knees in spite
of nay snow shoes. The carbine slung
across my shoulders, the sword at my
waist, my heavy capote and Alpenstock
did not render me light Of weight, as
sure you. But went on with brave
heart In spite Of my difficulties, pleased
with the thought Of measuring my
strength in open fight with this terrible
Petit Francois, who daily defed our
watchfulness, and on Sunday openly
walked with the girls of the neighbor-
hood. He did it to make us enyious, for
the villain knew that we were not made
of stone, and with an income of only
thirty cents day from the government
not likely to be looked upon with favor.
"When I think of him, that scamp with
his pockets full of gold, and jewels enough
to tempt even the virgin of Notre Dame
d'Arzler, my blood boils, and-but listen,
gentlemen, listen to the end.
II had already been travelling for over
two hours, when at last approached the
hollow of CrouaZ, a narrow defile between
the Noir Mont and Mont Sallez, mere
goats path, in fact; to the right of it o
fearful precipice, to the left polished
wall-and what height-not less than
1000 metres!
"Imagine for yourselves the cold and
the gloom of those interminable forests,
with their centenary pines, whose trunks
were messed with age, whose branches
bent and cracked under the weight of
snow-and not soul save myself in the
whole Of that 10y solitude walked perhaps
100 feet into the deflle, then seated myself
in the snow to smoke. The night was
clear and bright, but smoked with COM
posture, for knew perfectly well that the
smugglers would remain at Des Rousses
until 10 o'clock at least, in order to arrive
at Begnins about daybreak.
"By this time, the cold beginning to
affect me, was growing very drowsy,
when suddenly my attention was attracted
by the strange behavior of Bijou. He had
burrowed into a pile of snow heaped
against the wall of the hollow, and in
stead of squatting himself quietly on his
launches, as was his habit, was digging,
scratching and shifting about the excava-
ton as if seeking to unearth treasure.
4 must see what he is about said
to myself; there's something suspicious
over there And leaning my carbine
against the rocks, took off my sword and
began to dig in the hole at which Bijou
was still paving. All, but it was funny,
for suddenly, something giving way be-
meath us, we fell and were buried out Of
sight, great pile of snow and ice resting
upon our heads. When was free again
found myself in a sort of cavern, the
floor dry and covered with gravel and fine
sand. Bijou, already on his feet, jumped
about me barking and whining, displeased
or uneasy at the position in which he
found himself, it was difficult to tell which.
by Vic uBut Ol my ldACeIu; AoIIu-
nately unbroken in the all, began to ex-
anime the surroundings; but, sacre Dieul
what did I see stacked upon every side of
me? Packages of wheat and sugars, bales
of tobacco, wine from Berne, cigars from
Vevey, and heaven knows what besidesl
It was a complete store house, in fact, and
evidently den of Petit Francois in which
to hide away the contraband merchandise
brought into France. In all there was,
perhaps, 1000 francs worth, and as the
state gave as the right to one-half the
confiscated property you can imagine my
state of mind. I had scarcely time, how
ever to recover from the amazement
which the sight of these things had
given me when my duty as sentinel re-
turned to mind; but how was to get out
Of this hole, thirty feet at least beneath
the surface of the ground, and the walls
as smooth as glass! 1t was impossible to
cling to 1t, and the sweat Of agony broke
out all over an thought of Petit Francois
and his devilish brothers. II they should
return and catch me In this place was
lost. A slug of lead or a knife in the vi
Al Rana